Cost Consultancy

Pattison Hardman has the expertise to work with you to review all aspects of time recording to maximise costs recovery in contentious litigation. This is not only important for dealing with costs issues at the conclusion of a matter but also in respect to legal obligations and client management.

The role of a trustee in bankruptcy, liquidator or any insolvency appointment carries with it a number of responsibilities and obligations including the right to instruct lawyers to advise and to litigate. Such engagements mean that the insolvency practitioner should consider and review, regularly during the life of a matter, legal costs that are being incurred.

The team at Pattison Hardman have experience working closely with insolvency practitioners. This experience gives us the unique ability to assist insolvency practitioners to ensure that those practitioners discharge their objections when it comes to their professional costs and the costs lawyers they engage.

This service provides the insolvency practitioner with the confidence to engage solicitors in a fair and transparent manner and assist in the discharge of their duties related to the engagement of legal services.

Pattison Hardman works closely with insurers and their panel solicitors to ensure that costs withstand the scrutiny of Courts. This reduces the gap between recoverable Party/Party costs and the actual costs incurred by insurers in pursuing or defending claims.

This service has seen Pattison Hardman engaged in the conciliation of costs disputes without the need for the insurer to become involved in protracted formal costs assessments or taxation. This results in significant cost saving to all parties.

Pattison Hardman have the expertise to assist in all costs aspects of class actions ranging from initial costs consultancy through to security for costs applications, settlement conferences and preparation of Bills for final costs orders.

The introduction of the Legal Professional Uniform Law (LPUL)poses a new challenge to law firms engaging in class actions where instructions are provided post 1 July 2015. The LPUL imposes an obligation not only to ensure your disclosure documents are comprehensive and compliant that your costs management and communication with clients throughout the litigation does not unnecessarily result in increased legal costs, cause unnecessary delay or result in charges that are disproportionate or unreasonable.

Our knowledge of the LPUL combined with our long history in assessing costs incurred in class actions means we can work with you from engagement, through the interlocutory phase of class actions and provide specialised and confident guidance on costs management and assessment throughout your class actions.

Pattison Hardman have particular experience and expertise assisting Government Departments and Agencies with costing issues and problems.

In part this expertise comes from having worked on major files with Government. The team at Pattison Hardman are familiar with the particular requirements, procedures and demands of working for a Government Agency or Department.

Pattison Hardman provide in-house seminars to Government Agencies and Departments on legal costing, which both assists their staff and, through answering questions and face-to-face contact, maintains and updates our understanding of the issues facing Government. Our cost consultants pay due attention to privacy and the sensitivity of matters disclosed in files.